Miranda Pederson/Daily News Shawn Kahle of Bowling Green adds to the stack of thousands of boxes of pre-paid text books on Monday at Western Kentucky University's Bookstore at Downing University Center. The new bookstore is slated to open on Wednesday. The class of 2017 at Western Kentucky University will begin arriving Sunday while classes for the fall 2013 semester at WKU begin Aug. 26.

Classes aren’t in session until Aug. 26, but Western Kentucky University freshmen begin arriving Sunday.

First-year students will be on the Hill for M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan activities. Its full name is a mouthful – Making Academic and Social Transitions Educationally Rewarding – and is an extended orientation plan for residential students. It continues through Aug. 22. There will be a computer program for first-year commuter students Sunday and Monday.

The M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan features several activities: educational workshops and informational sessions, as well as other activities, including Convocation, Class of 2017 photo, a concert by Andy Grammar, a CloseUP Theater Troupe performance, the WKandU street festival, Big Red’s Blitz community service event and Campus and Community Involvement Fair.

In addition to welcoming freshmen at 8 p.m. Sunday, WKU President Gary Ransdell will welcome international students at 5 p.m. Wednesday; Confucius Institute Chinese teachers at 5 p.m. Thursday; new WKU faculty members at 6 p.m. Friday; Gatton Academy students at 5 p.m. Monday; WKU Forensics Team at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21; Honors College freshmen at 5 p.m. Aug. 26; and Navitas students at 5 p.m. Aug. 30.

Residence halls open for all non-M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan participants at 8 a.m. Aug. 22. The Academic Transitions Program, or ATP, will hold sessions Aug. 22 at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center.

This month, other WKU highlights include:

•The dedication of The Medical Center-WKU Health Sciences Complex at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 22 at the new facility at 700 First Ave.

•A welcome reception for graduate students from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Augenstein Alumni Center Grand Ballroom.

•The President’s Opening Convocation for faculty and staff at 8 a.m. Aug. 23 at Van Meter Hall.

•The Welcome Back WKU Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 28 on the South Lawn.

•The Hilltopper Battalion Army ROTC’s annual activation ceremony for new cadets at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 in the E.A. Diddle Arena auxiliary gym.

•The Hilltopper football team opens its season at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 against Kentucky at LP Field in Nashville. The Football Fan Fest will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Knicely Conference Center.

The Freshman Assembly for first-year students will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 4 at Diddle Arena. The guest speaker will be Dr. James B. Maas, a leading authority and international consultant on sleep and performance and author of “Sleep to Win!” Dr. Maas also will speak to WKU faculty and staff at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 4 in the auditorium at Gary Ransdell Hall.

Meanwhile, the two-year renovation of the Dero Downing Student Union continues. The WKU Store will be open for the fall semester on the ground floor with The Fresh Food Company, Starbucks and YoBlendz open on the first floor.

As the project continues during the 2013-14 year, Papa John’s, Chick-fil-A, Izzi’s and Topper Grille are moving to the Topper Café on the South Lawn. The WKU Restaurant Group office, the ID Center and WKU Postal Services remain in Garrett Conference Center, Room 100, with Student Activities and Student Government Association in Cravens Library, Room 13.

Two departments in Potter College of Arts & Letters have new department heads – Rob Hale in the Department of English and Scott Harris in the Department of Music.